In the spirit of goodwill and compassion, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali handed over a newly constructed home to James Hercules and his family at Enterprise along the East Coast of Demerara, on Christmas morning.
Hercules, 46, lives with an orthopaedic impairment, a severe physical disability affecting his musculoskeletal system that hinders his movement. He has spent most of his life moving his family from place to place, never truly settling. He wrote to President Ali requesting his assistance.
On Christmas Day, he became a beneficiary of a brand new home, courtesy of the president and the Men on Mission (MoM) programme.
In a heartfelt address, Hercules expressed gratitude to God and to the government for the home he and his family received. He said that he had spent most of his life renting and relying on family support, and that guidance from a friend led him to apply for assistance.
“I’m thankful very much for this home…and I give God all the praise and thanks,” he said.
President Ali explained that Guyana can only truly grow and succeed if people help each other and feel good about the role they play in building the country.
“And to do that with a fair conscience is exactly what we’re seeing here today. Outside of the hundreds of families who have benefitted in a physical way from men on mission, there are thousands of families who have benefitted under different circumstances,” he stated.
The president commended the thousands of volunteers who worked through the MoM to bring hope and joy to hundreds of families nationwide.
MoM’s priorities for 2026
Looking ahead, President Ali outlined key priorities for the MoM initiative in the coming year, including improving sanitary facilities and ensuring homes have proper access to water.
He said MoM will also tackle social problems like gambling and alcohol abuse that often put men at the centre of family and community stress.
“We have to use men to resolve this.. to reduce the burden we put on society, and the burden we put on families and our children because of our behaviour,” the president emphasised.
Women will be empowered through a new program launching next year, which will include backyard gardening and shade house activities. President Ali stated that the focus will be on growing seasoning crops such as pepper and celery.
The president mentioned that the plan involves setting up prep kitchens in various areas. These kitchens would help clusters and homes prepare their produce for delivery to businesses. This program aims to create a demand for home-grown produce, promoting sustainable small businesses and local economic activity.
Since MOM’s inception, approximately 300 homes have been built for families nationwide.
Also present were Member of Parliament (MP) Suresh Singh; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Dr Josh Kanhai, and MoM’s Coordinator, Lieutenant Colonel Bhageshwar Murli and other officials.